Calculating-machine.



D. B.. FELT.

CALCULATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1911.

Patehted Feb. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

inf/wa e;

D. E. FELT.

CALCULATING MACHINE. 7 APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 1, 1911. 1,088,219.Patented Feb. 24, 191 1 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

DORE E. FELT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CALCULATING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

Application filed September 1, 1911. Seri'al No. 647,171.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Donn E. FELT, a citizenof the United States, residingin Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCalculating-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to prime-actuating mechanism for that type ofkeyboard calculating-machines in which the register operates inimmediate response to the manipulation of the key designating the valuesto be registered, without requiring the intervening manipulation of anyother powerproviding or power-controlling keys or levers.

One object of the invention is to provide a mechanism that will respondto exceedingly high-speed manipulation of the keyboard and at the sametime minimize the effort required to manipulate the keys.

Another object is to further this speeding of the action and lighteningof the keytouch by efficiently devolving upon a continuously runningpower-motor work that in strictly key-driven machines is devolved uponthe keys.

Another object has to simplify and renderparticularly positive theactuating mchanism of the type of keyboard calculatingmachinesconcerned. And the invention has for further objects such otherimprovements in structure and operation as may be found to obtain in thedevices hereinafter described or claimed.

A particular exemplification of the invention is embodied, for purposesof illustration, 'in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification; but the invention is of course not limited to suchspecific illustrative embodiment.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a machineembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a side view of a magnet for actuating the numeral wheel. Fig.4 is a left-hand side-view of the escapement wheel for the numeral-wheelmechanism; and Fig. 5 is a like view of an accumulator or numeral wheel.Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 shows theescapements actuating and controlling the numeral wheel detached. Fig. 7is a partial longitudinal section, taken in a plane adjacent to that ofFig. 1. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

In said drawin 9 represents the top of a calculating mac line, and 10,10 represent the longitudinal plates separating the denominational tramsof mechanism from each other. The denominational or column actuators areshown at 11 and they are pivoted at 12. The retracting or liftingsprings are provided for each actuator as indicated at 13. The keys 14,of which there are mile in each denomination, are arranged indenommational rows, and are each adapted to be depressed by hand, aud

are also each provided with lateral projections 15 which, when the keysare actuated,

engage the actuator of the denomination to which the keys belong andmove such actuator downward a greater or less distance proportioned tothe power of the keys. T he key are also provided with the usualindividual lifting springs 16 by which they are retracted after eachdepressing operatior.

The accumulator or numeral wheels of the machine are shown at 17 but itwill be understood that these are a type of all the other numeral wheelsembodied in the machine, and that all may be mounted on the numeralwheel shaft 18. Motion is transmitted .and controlled between thecolumnactuators and the numeral wheels by means of esca ement mechanismwhich is certain and de nite in its action, and at'the same time neverpermits any overrunning by the wheels as illustrated in the drawings.The column actuators at the front end, instead of being provided wit-hgear teeth, are now provided with inverted V shaped teeth '25,

the sides of which slope in opposite directions from the crowns to thebases, as shown, and are adapted to imnart impulses or rocking movementsto the escapementdevice 26 which meshes with it, without effecting anyat bit-rary arrest of the actuator. This escapement 26 is such as isoften found in anchor escapements, and it is ivoted centrally 'upon ahorizontal cross wire 24 and is provided at each end with pins or teeth26 which alternately enter the teeth of the actuator. A secondescapement- 23 is also pivoted on the same wire 24 and is desirably madein one piece with escapement 26, and its office is to effect the turningof the numeral wheel of the denomination to wh ch the actuator and theescapements belong. This escapement 23, which may be fashioned as shownat Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 is adapted to engage with the star or escapementwheel 21 which is located on the numeral wheel shaft at the side of thenumeral wheel and is rigidly attached to the latter. IL is itself looseupon the shaft but has a long hub or sleeve 22 upon which the numeralwheel is mounted, the numeral wheel itself thus having no contact withor attachment to the shaft. The teeth of the wheel 21 are such as toinsure rotation by it under the power of the magnet 20 hereinafterdescribed, or such other device as may be employed for performing thefunction of such magnet, such rotations being measured by the escapement23 and being due to and occurring whenever the escapement 26 receivesan, impulse or rocking movementfrom the column actuator. As the numberof impulses given to escapement 26 depends upon the movements of theactuator, and is governed by the key which is struck, it will be seenthat the number of impulses given the escapement 23 will also be inproportion to the power of the key and the consequent rotation of thenumeral wheel will be in the same proportion. A spring 40 is attached tothe bar 41 uniting the two escapements 26 and 23 and supported fromabove on the cross wire 4L2, and tends to return the escapements aftereach impulse received from the actuator.

In addition to the escapement. mechanism described for transmitting andcontrolling motion between the column actuators and the numeral wheels,I also connect the numeral wheel shaft to a motor 19 "by which .thatshaft will be continuously rotated in the direction required for addingwhen the machine is in use, and to utilize the power of such motor inmoving the wheels. The motor is desirably an electric one, such, forinstance, as the one shown at 19, and it is desirably attached to theshaft as shown. I do not desire however to be limited to an electricalmotor, nor to the attachment of this motor directly to the shaft, asother kinds of motors may be used and they may be otherwise connected tothe shaft. The ability to thus utilize the motor I obtain by thefollowing means. Upon the numeral wheel shaft, adjacent to each numeralwheel, I place permanent magnets 20 and secure such magnets to the shaftso thatthey will rotate continuously with the same, and between eachmagnet and its numeral wheel is located the escapement wheel 21 alreadydescribed.

\Vith the construction above detailed, it will be noted that when themachine is in use, the shaft 18 is under constant motion, and themagnets 20 are likewise constantly rotating. Also that the numeralwheels and escapement wheels 21 are always in the field of magnets 20,and are therefore constantly urged to rotate with them, but arerestrained from so doing by the escapements 23. The

escapements while normally restraining the numeral wheels against anyrotation whatever, nevertheless do permit limited and measured rotationsthereof when the escapements themselves are moved by the descending andrising movements of the actuators. Such limited and measured rotationsof the numeral wheels take place during the movements of theescapements, and are proportioned to and governed by the extent of theactuator movements. I have devised means whereby the movements of theactuators may be always proportioned to the power of 'the keys and thesemeans are desirably constructed as follows: In each denominational spaceof the machine and above the actuator thereof, is a horizontal stop bar27 having on its upper edge eight stops 28 preferably of the form shown,and each adapted to contact with the flat side of the stems 29 of thekeys 14, when the latter are depressed and the bar is moved forward, asstated below. The bars 27 are supported at their forward ends on thevertical members of elbow levers 30, pivoted at 31 to the divisionplates 10, and at their rear ends upon the swinging arms 32 pivoted at33 to the division plates. The horizontal members of the elbow leversare each connected to the corresponding actuators by links 34:. Withthis construction, it will be noted that when any one of the first 8keys is depressed, the actuator will through the elbow lever cause aforward movement of the bar 27, and this movement will bring the stop28, corresponding to the key which has been struck, against the stem ofthat key and cause an instant stoppage of the downward movement of theactuator. This arrest takes place in every case when the stop encounters-the key so that the amount of movementgiven the actuator willdepend inevery case upon thepo'wer of the key and never exceed the power, the onekey causing the arrest very quickly, the two key somewhat later,

the three key still later, and so on through the series of eight keys.The nine key when depressed is carried to the bottom of its path andhence needs no regulation, so no stop 28 is provided for it as in thecase of the other keys. As the segment teeth 25 are adapted to give agreater or less number of impulses to the escapements 26, depending uponthe extent to which the actuators are depressed, and as the escapements23 move wit-h escapements 26 and receive a corresponding number ofimpluses, it will be seen that the numeral wheels will necessarily 'berotated correspondingly to the power of the keys which have been struck.The rotary movements of the numeral wheels are by the means describedcaused one half by the descending movements of the actuators, and onehalf by their ascending movements, and in them the escape-'nomina-tional trains that ments 26 control the escapements 23 andthereby measure the rotation permitted to the numeral wheels.

\Vhile I have indicated permanent magncts 20 as being secured on thenumeral wheel shaft in close relation to the numeral wheels so that theycan rotate the latter whenever the locking action on them is released,yet I do not wish to be limited'to such magnets for that purpose asobviously other devices performing the same function can be substitutedfor the magnets. It will also be noted that the star wheel 21 haslateral projections on the side of each tooth nearest the magnet. Theseenable the concentration of the lines of force from the magnet upon theouter part of the wheel where they are most effective. It Will also benoted that While transfer mechanism is not shown, in the drawings,between the deof prime actuating mechanism, the transfer of tens may ofcourse be effected .by, for instance, means causing the escapement 2326to rock once when the numeral-wheel of next lower denomination has madea revolution, since one rocking movement of any escapement re sults in aone-step advance of the corresponding numeral-Wheel, thereby adding oneto its reading. It is further to be noted the continuously rotatingmagnet shown in the drawings runs normally free of, and withoutfrictional wear upon, the accumulator wheel that it tends to drive.

I claim 1. In a calculating machine, the combination with adenominational series of keys, a column actuator receiving varyingamounts of movement from said keys, and a numeral wheel, of escapementdevices controlling the numeral wheel and themselves controlled by theactuator.

2. In a calculating machine, the combination with the numeral wheel, ofa column actuator having a toothed segment and adapted to be depressedby keys, and escapement devices whereby the actuator controls themovements of the wheel.

In a calculating machine, the combination with a denominational seriesof keys,

a column actuator receiving varying amounts of movement from said keys,and a numeral wheel, of an escapement. receiving impulses from teethupon the actuator, and a second escapement operated by the first one andcontrolling the numeral wheel.

4. In a calculating machine, the combination with a denominationalseries of keys, a column actuator receiving varying amounts of movementfrom said keys, and a. numeral wheel, of an escapement receiving itsim-- pulses from teeth upon the actuator, and a second escapementrigidwith the first one, and acting to control the numeral wheel.

5. In a calculating machine, the combina- 1 tion with a denominationalseries of keys,

an actuator receiving varying amounts of movement from said keys, and anaccumulator wheel, of a continuously rotating magnet on the shaft of theaccumulator wheel, tending to rotate the wheel, an escapement receivingimpulses from teeth upon the actuator, and a second escapementcontrolling the numeral wheel and operated by the first mentionedescapement.

6. In a calculating machine, the combination with. a denominationalseries of keys, a column actuator receivin varying amounts of movementfrom said keys, and an accumulator wheel, of a continuously rotatingmagnet on the shaft of the accumulator wheel always tending to rotatethe wheel, and escapement devices controlling the accumulator wheel,such escapement devices normally locking the accumulator wheel exceptduring the proper movement of the escapement.

7. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acolumn actuator imparting varying amounts of movementto said wheel, amotor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuously rotating thesame, means normally free of said wheel and tending to rotate it withthe shaft, means for preventing normal rotation of the wheel with theshaft, means for releasing the wheel, and means whereby the actuatordetermines the extent of the rotations allowed the wheel.

8. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acolumn actuator imparting varying amounts of movement to saidwheel, amotor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuously rotating thesame, means normally free of said wheel and tending to rotate it withthe shaft, means for preventing normal rotation of the wheel with theshaft, means for releasing the wheel, and escapement mechanismcontrolled by the actuators for determining the cxtent of the rotationsallowed the wheel.

9. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acolumn actuator imparting varying amounts of movement to said wheel, amotor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuously rotating thesame, means normally free of said wheel and tending to rotate it withthe shaft, a series of keys determining the action of the actuator,means for arresting the keys at the ends of their stroke, and escapementmechanism for determining the extent of the rotations allowed the wheel.

10. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acolumn actuator imparting varying amounts of movement to said wheel, amotor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuously rotating thesame, means normally free of said wheel and tending to rotate it withthe shaft, a series of keys determining the action of the actuator, anescapement preventing normal rotation of the wheel with the shaft, andmeans for releasing the wheel.

11. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acolumn actuator and keys imparting varying amounts of movement to saidwheel, a motor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuouslyrotating the same, an escapement preventing normal rotation of the wheelwith the shaft, and a second escapement controlled by the actuator fordetermining the extent of the rotations allowed to the wheel.

12. The combination in a calculating machine, of a numeral wheel, acolumn actuator and keys imparting varying amounts of movement to saidwheel, a motor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuouslyrotating the same, an escapement preventing normal rotation of the wheelwith the shaft, and a second escapement controlled by the actuator fordetermining the extent of the rotation allowed to the wheel, said lastmentioned escapement actuating the first men tioned one and causing therelease of the wheel and also determining the extent of the rotationallowed to the wheel.

13; The combination in a calculating machine, of a numeral wheel, acolumn actuator and keys imparting varying amounts of movement to saldwheel, a motor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuously.rotating the same, an escapement preventing normal rotation of the wheelwith the shaft, and a second escapement controlled by the actuator fordetermining the extent of the rotation allowed the wheel, saidescapements being united and the last mentioned one actuating the firstmentioned one and causing the release of the wheel and also determiningthe extent of the rotations allowed to the wheel.

i l. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel,a column actuator and keys imparting varying amounts of movement to saidwheel, a motor connected to the shaft of said wheel and continuouslyrotating the same, an escapement preventing normal rotation of the wheelwith the shaft, and a second escapement controlled by the actuator fordetermining the extent of the rotations allowed to the wheel, saidescapements being pivoted on a common axis and united so that one maycontrol the other.

15. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, ashaft on which the wheel is mounted, a motor acting to rotate the shaftcontinuously, a magnet made fast on the shaft, an escapement wheel fastto the accumulator wheel and constantly under tension from the magnet,an escapement driving said escapement wheel, the keys and means wherebythe movements permitted to said escapement wheel are proportioned to themovements of the keys.

16. The'combination in a calculating machine, of a denominational seriesof keys, an accumulator wheel, a shaft for said wheel, means forrotating said shaft continuously, means normally preventing said wheelfrom rotating with the shaft, means normally free of said wheel andtending to rotate it with the shaft, means for controlling saidrcstraining means and allowing measured r0- tating movements by thewheel, and means whereby the keys determine the extent of suchrotations.

17. Thecombination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel, acontinuously driven shaft on which the accumulator wheel s mounted, amagnet-fast on said shaft, an escapement wheel rigid with theaccumulator wheel, and located at the side of and constantly acted uponby the magnet, a column actuator adapted to be depressed by the hand,and having a toothed segment at its front end, an escapement operated bysaid segment and secured to and operating simultaneously with said firstmentioned escapement, and means for arresting the column actuator whenit has moved to the extent of the power of the key struck.

- 18. The combination in a calculating machine, of an accumulator wheel,a continuously driven shaft on which the accumulator wheelis mounted, amagnet fast on said shaft, means normally preventing the wheel fromrotating with the magnet, means for releasing the accumulator wheel fromsuch restraint, a column actuator causing action by the releasing means,a stop bar regulating the extent of action by the releasing means, and amotor for actuating the accumulator wheel shaft.

19. In a calculating machine, the combi nation with the accumulatorwheel, of a de vice fast on the shaft of said wheel and continuouslyrotating in one direction and exerting tension on the wheel, and acolumn actuator adapted to be depressed by the keys, escapement deviceswhereby the actuator controls the numeral Wheel, such wheel beingactuated by power from said tension device during the movement of theactuator.

20. The combination with the denominational series of keys, the columnactuator driven and controlled by the keys, and the numeral wheel of thesame denomination with the keys and actuator, of escapement deviceswhereby the actuator controls the numeral wheel, and stops limiting thevarying strokes of the keys in proportion to their respective values.

21. The combination with a denominational series of keys, an accumulatorwheel,

a column actuator adapted to be depressed by said keys, stops limitingthe strokes of the keys and arresting the actuator when the limit isreached, escapement devices Whereby the actuator gives motion to theaccumulator wheel, and acting also to normally restrain the wheel frommoving with its shaft, means for continuously rotating the shaft of theaccumulator wheel, and means whereby the wheel is momentarily releasedand allowed to turn with the shaft proportionately with the power of thekey struck.

22. In a multiplebrder key controlled calculatinganacliine, thecombination with a denomimitional series of the keys and a columnactuator therefor, of a stop bar arranged at the side of the keys andmechanically connected to the actuator, and having separate stops onefor each key, and each adapted to contact with the stem of the key towhich it corresponds, and thereby to arrest the actuator when it reachesthe limit of the keys stroke.

23. In a multiple-orderkey controlledcalculating-machine, thecombinationwith a denominational series of the keys, and a columnactuator therefor, of a horizontally reciprocating stop bar arranged atthe side of the keys and mechanically connected to the actuator, andhaving separate stops one for each key, and each adapted to contact withthe stem of the key to which it corresponds, and thereby to arrest theactuator when it reaches the limit of the keys stroke.

2i. In a multiple-order key controlled calculating-machine, thecombination with a denominational series of the keys, and a columnactuator therefor, of a stop bar arranged at the side of the keys andmechani cally connected to the actuator by an elbow lever and link, andhaving separate stops one for each key, and each adapted to contact withthe stem of the key to which it corresponds, and thereby to arrest theactuator when it reaches the limit of the keys stroke.

25. In prime-actuating mechanlsm for a calculating machine, incombination: numeral-wheel mechanism; a driven member therefor, normallyrestrained from movement; a driving magnet tending to drive said'drivenmember; a motor continuously impelling said magnet; means for releasingsaid driven member and variously limiting its movements; and adenominational series of keys severally effecting such release andlimitation of movement of the magnetically impelled driven member;whereby the continuously running motor normally free of thenumeral-wheel mechanism effects its varying movements in immediateresponse to the actuating of the denominational keys; substantially asspecified.

26. In prime-actuating mechanism for a calculating-machine, incombination: nu-

meral-wheel mechanism; a driven member therefor, normally restrainedfrom movement; a driving member normally free of said driven member; amotor continuously impelling said driving member; means for permittingsaid driving member to drive said driven member to variously limitedextents; and a denominational series of keys severally effecting therelease and limiting the movements of said driven member; whereby thecontinuously running motor normally free of the numeral-wheel mechanismefiects its varying movements in im- DORR E. FELT.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, Enw. S. EVARTS.

